The Science of Inclusion: Recommended Books

I know my own mind.
I am able to assess others in a fair and accurate way.

In Blind Spot, these self-perceptions are challenged by leading psychologists Mahzarin R. Banaji and Anthony G. Greenwald as they explore the hidden biases we all carry from a lifetime of exposure to cultural attitudes about age, gender, race, ethnicity, religion, social class, sexuality, disability status, and nationality. “Blindspot” is the authors’ metaphor for the portion of the mind that houses hidden biases. Writing with simplicity and verve, Banaji and Greenwald question the extent to which our perceptions of social groups—without our awareness or conscious control—shape our likes and dislikes and our judgments about people’s character, abilities, and potential.

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In Whistling Vivaldi, Claude M. Steele, PhD, provost of Columbia University, offers a vivid first-person account of the research that supports his groundbreaking conclusions on stereotypes and identity. He sheds new light on American social phenomena from racial and gender gaps in test scores to the belief in the superior athletic prowess of black men, and lays out a plan for mitigating these “stereotype threats” and reshaping American identities.

Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking,is a book about how we think without thinking, about choices that seem to be made in an instant-in the blink of an eye-that actually aren’t as simple as they seem. Why are some people brilliant decision makers, while others are consistently inept? Why do some people follow their instincts and win, while others end up stumbling into error? How do our brains really work-in the office, in the classroom, in the kitchen, and in the bedroom? And why are the best decisions often those that are impossible to explain to others?

In the international bestseller, Thinking, Fast and Slow, Daniel Kahneman, the renowned psychologist and winner of the Nobel Prize in Economics, takes us on a groundbreaking tour of the mind and explains the two systems that drive the way we think. He offers practical and enlightening insights into how choices are made in both our business and our personal lives―and how we can use different techniques to guard against the mental glitches that often get us into trouble. Winner of the National Academy of Sciences Best Book Award and the Los Angeles Times Book Prize and selected by The New York Times Book Review as one of the ten best books of 2011, Thinking, Fast and Slow is destined to be a classic.

When Groups Meet: The Dynamics of Intergroup Contact s a rich, comprehensive overview of classic and contemporary work on intergroup contact, and provides insights into where this work is headed in the future. It provides an overview of research findings involving contact between groups drawn from the authors’ extensive meta-analysis of 515 published studies on intergroup contact. This meta-analysis, together with the authors’ renowned research on intergroup contact, provides a solid foundation and broad overview of the field, to which have been added discussions of research extensions and emerging directions.

“The Psychology of Diversity not only teaches readers about research on prejudice, but it helps them understand how they can personally contribute to a better and more inclusive society.” (PsycCRITIQUES, 4 May 2015)

The Psychology of Diversity presents a captivating social-psychological study of diversity, the obstacles confronting it, and the benefits it provides.

Goes beyond prejudice and discrimination to discuss the personal and social implications of diversity for both majority and minority group members

Considers how historical, political, economic, and societal factors shape the way people think about and respond to diversity

Explains why discrimination leads to bias at all levels in society – interpersonal, institutional, cultural, and social

Describes proven techniques for improving intergroup relations

Examines the brain’s impact on bias in clear terms for students with little or no background in neuroscience